


Unrequited

by CallMeNettie



Category: Hey Arnold!
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Sacrifice, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2019-02-07 06:51:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12835617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallMeNettie/pseuds/CallMeNettie
Summary: Brainy does all he can to help mend Helga's broken heart.





	Unrequited

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick shout out to Brainy and his part in TJM. He is, in my opinion, an unsung hero and I feel he needs his moment of recognition. So, Brainy, this one’s for you……

He sits alone in a corner on the back deck of the boat he and his other classmates are on. His knees are drawn up to his chest, his arms wrapped around them as he thinks about her. He has loved her for years, silently following her, dreams of a future with her that he knows will never be. For although his love for her is a true love, a pure love, it is an unrequited love. He knows this, he’s always known this, but as Emily Dickinson so eloquently wrote many years ago, “The heart wants what it wants, or else it does not care.” He wonders at how words written so long ago can still hold so much meaning today. 

It feels like his love for her started even before time itself began. It’s hard for him to watch her eyes look so adoringly at another and he wishes he could cast a spell to turn her affection to him. But, he knows that even if he did it would not be a true love, a pure love. It would be a false love and he could bear that even less than knowing he’s lost her forever to another.

He hears footsteps now as someone runs to the back of the boat. He pulls himself even smaller hoping to hide in the night shadows. He looks up and sees that it’s her. He thinks it odd that how every time he tries to seek solitude in some hidden place she is there, and every time she is there, her thoughts are on the other. She is mad now, but beneath that he feels a sadness, she is sadder than he’s ever seen her. He longs to reach out to her, to comfort her, to love her but he knows it would be futile so he sits, his heart breaking as he thinks of her pain.

She reaches into her shirt now and pulls out the locket she keeps hidden safe by her heart. She looks at the picture of him that sits staring up at her. Her finger gently touches his face. Suddenly, to his shock, she removes the picture, throwing the locket overboard in a fit of rage. Violently, and without clear thought, she rips the picture to shreds, throwing the pieces overboard before turning and running away.

He gets up now, torn between running after her and retrieving that which he knows still means so much to her. Knowing that it is useless to try and catch up to her he makes the choice to save the locket. 

Sitting on the edge of the boat he falls backwards into the water. It is cold as it hits him and for a brief moment the air is knocked out of him. He comes up for air and is at first unsure if he will be able to fight the water that works against him. He doesn’t know how he does it, it must be fate, but he is able to retrieve both the locket and each piece of torn paper. He holds it close to him as he swims to shore. Once reaching land he heads upstream following the lights of the boat. Fortunately for him the boat ends its voyage only a mile or so past where he fell and he is able to easily make his way back on board without being seen.

Finding a quiet room he looks for whatever he can to mend the girl’s broken heart. Again luck is on his side as he finds a roll of clear tape. He meticulously puts the picture back together, treating it as if it is some sort of precious jigsaw puzzle. Once done he sets out to find her.

Eventually he sees her alone in a room, the thought of what she had just done has hit her like a ton of bricks. He can see the anguish that distorts her normally beautiful features and he is eager to ease her pain. Slowly approaching her she turns and looks at him.

“Brainy?” She says in surprise.

He always finds himself at a loss for words when he is near her and all he can manage to utter is a simple, “Uh, Helga.” as he holds the locket out towards her.

She looks at what he is offering her and takes it in disbelief. The look on her face as she realizes what it is fills him with an even stronger love than he’s ever imagined he could have for her.

She takes the locket, pulling him towards her and kissing him in thanks.

As her lips touch his a spark of electricity runs through him, charging him with a happiness so fulfilling he knows it’s enough to sustain him through the rest of his days. The look of joy on her face is burned into his memory and he knows he’s done the right thing. 

She runs off now and he is happy for her because he knows that as she walks away from him, she is walking towards her destiny. 

He’s not sure what the future holds for him. He doesn’t know if he will live out the rest of his life alone, or with another. One thing he does know, though, is that he will never love another like he does her but that’s okay, for it is her happiness that matters and he knows that as long as she is happy so is he.

 

The End


End file.
